Condo Tips: How OFWs Celebrate Christmas

Nov 21, 2021

It's almost time for December and the most anticipated holiday is coming soon. The Christmas season is full of family gatherings, and parties. Christmas in the Philippines is a celebration and beloved holiday held in the second half of the year. As the famous holiday song often says, for many people, Christmas is the most beautiful time of the year to celebrate with loved ones.

This season is proof that no one can separate a Filipino from their loved ones on Christmas Day. Although the demands of our modern world require distance from our loved ones. Overseas Filipino Workers or OFW sacrifice a fulfilling time with their loved ones by working away from them. Every family has its way of dealing with this kind of absence. 

Back then, it was hard for Filipino families to connect. In the early 2000s, many families would rent a computer at PC shops at least once a week to have a video call via yahoo messenger. In the next few years, wifi and skype became a thing, making it more convenient for everyone. 

Thanks to the evolving technology, we can now call our loved ones every minute with the help of several messaging apps. No need for computers because a mobile phone is the only thing they need to connect with their loved ones. Behind their joyful smiles in front of the computer monitors and cell phones are the bleeding hearts of every OFW, who can only wish the best Christmas for their family back home.

Leaving your home, saying goodbyes in the airport, and working abroad is not easy, which is why most OFW’s will make a way to be with their families on holidays. Once they return home, our OFW’s will make sure to make the most of their time with their families and enjoy themselves. 

Ways OFWs celebrate their Christmas back home

Family Get Away 

Most families plan a getaway trip before Noche Buena. May it be going to the beach, going to places they haven’t visited before, or even simply going out to the mall. Since it is the cold season, most families often go to Baguio to fully experience the cold breeze. They can also check out a condo in Baguio where they can stay. Family vacation not only creates memories that will last a lifetime, but it also distracts us from our daily lives by opening our hearts to new cultures, food, and experiences.

Attending Simbang Gabi

Simbang Gabi means “Night Mass”. Filipinos attend mass late at night or early in the morning during the nine days before Christmas. Filipinos try to complete the 9 days in the belief that religious practice and attendance at all 9 Masses will make their wishes come true. Depending on the season, the church is always decorated to add to the Christmas spirit. After Mass, the streets in front of the Church often sell local Christmas products, such as fivinca and puto bumbong which is great bonding for all families. 

Misa de Gallo on Christmas Eve

Regular Sunday Mass is common, but Christmas is special. The Christmas Mass that most Filipinos attend, the Misa de Gallo, is different from the usual Sunday Mass. It is a celebration where candles are lit, projectors are shown, and sometimes telling the story of how baby Jesus was born. The Misa de Gallo is also the first Mass after the 9-day mass before Christmas. It is said that if you completed all 9 days of Simbang Gabi, you can make a wish during the Misa de Gallo period.

Waking Up for Noche Buena

Filipinos celebrate Christmas with Noche Buena, a sumptuous feast of traditional Filipino Christmas foods such as lechon, queso de bola, hamon, spaghetti, and fruit salad. The preparation of Noche Buena is the fun part of every family. From smelling all the amazing food before midnight or even sneaking up to get a small piece of lechon in the kitchen. Truly an enjoyable experience that every OFW can bring anywhere.

Manito Manita

The easy way to exchange gifts is boring, so Filipinos added their feel to it. Not only do you have to find the perfect gift for Manita or Manito, but before giving the gift, you have to explain and guess who picked you. Some might even consider having code names so that they won’t know who they got. It is a fun way to exchange gifts that every family enjoys. It will be nice to see how everyone is happy with every gift.

The Aguinaldo and Pamasko

Oftentimes, OFW Ninangs and Ninongs always prepare their Aguinaldo’s all year round. It's fun to unwrap a gift, but it's also exciting to receive a red envelope. Given by godparents to their grandchildren, the money inside the ang pao is often used as a savings or a nice gift for their children, nephews, and nieces during the Christmas season. 

A Present for OFW’s

For OFW’s who spent most of their time abroad, it would be the perfect time to give themselves a present. It may be the time to check out a new car, a house, or even experience a condo living. OFW’s looking for a new home, you might want to check out a ready for occupancy condo situated in Manila. Vista Heights is a condo in Manila that provides a place that integrates learning and fun and with its clean and secured environment, parents can have peace of mind while giving their kids individual, social, and academic independence. Meanwhile, for those looking for a new place outside Manila, Baguio is a perfect choice. Brenthill is a pre-selling condo in Baguio that is made for a convenient and premium living experience, as well as for a sound and well-balanced lifestyle.

For our beloved OFW’s, these connections give the Christmas season the feeling of happiness and warmth that everyone looks forward to. For them, family is the most important gift. Celebration of Christmas with loved ones is something that OFW’s will bring once they get back to a place thousand miles away from home. 

Gift yourself a brand new condo with Vista Residences.

Vista Residences is the condominium arm of the country’s largest homebuilder, Vista Land & Lifescapes, Inc. that offers ready for occupancy and pre-selling condominium projects in Manila, Makati, Mandaluyong, Quezon City, Ortigas, Baguio, Cebu, and CDO that are strategically located within major cities, in close proximity to premium universities, transit oriented locations and developed business districts.   

At Vista Residences, unit owners can take advantage of the property’s centrality. The properties of Vista Residences are strategically located near the country’s premium universities and CBDs, making them an attractive investment for both local and foreign investors.

Living in Vista Residences enables you to enjoy convenience, where everything is pretty much within walking distance or a few minutes away from the property; comfort because the project features and amenities are designed to deliver comfort at all times, which makes condo living a worthy investment; security that is 24/7 and CCTV monitoring, which makes the residents safe and secure within the property.

In line with Vista Residences’ thrust to offer convenience among its residents, it also features an AllDay Convenience Store and Coffee Project in all its projects.

For more information on Vista Residences, email [email protected], follow @VistaResidencesOfficial on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, or call the Marketing Office at 0999 886 4262 / 0917 582 5167.

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